Apparatus for loading and unloading railway cars



Apr. 17, 1923.

1,451,748 H. H. VAUGHAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING RAILWAY CARS Filed June 1, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hear H)" 6/2.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 AND UNLOADING RAILWAY CARS H H. VAUGHAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR LOKDTNG Filed June 1,

\ Henry bag/ an.

Edward 6'. Games.

, lm enors.

Apr. 17, 1923..

ll I IIIT I f msm'm Apr. 17, 1923.

H. H. VAUGHAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING RAILWAY CARS 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 Filed June 1, 193

N ffarlzey.

Jew r l in t ll is ill a HENRY 11. VAUGHAN rljfl'l) EDWARD COIIRNIEELIUS G-Alll l'ES, F EIONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

. hPl-ULRAEUS FUR LOADING AND UN'LOADING EtlltIL JVAY CARS.

Application filed June 1,

To all whom it may cone-cm lie it known that we, ll war Vanni-IAN, a subject ofthe King; of Great Britain, and EDWARD CORNELIUS (lawns, a citizen of the United btates both residents or the city of lilontreal, have inv sted certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Apparatus for Loading and Unloading Railway Cars; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full clear, and exact description thereo't.

Our invention relates particularly to paratus for loading and unloading; railway cars the car supporting member of which is of the rocking cradle type, the tilting motion of which provided for by means of a rocking or rolling action thus necessitating a movable centre or pivot; some or the features of which, however, may be applied to a cradle tilting about a fixed centre; and the invention is equally applicable to any type of mechanism having mechanical means similar to the above or so related that our-invention can be advantageously applied. In the embodiment of our invention hereinafter specifically described it is applied to the type of car on leading and loading apparatus in which the car is tipped or rocked endwise in order to discharge its contents or" rain, coal or other material in bulk out or one or both of the side doors when unloading, and to enable the lading to be piled up in bulk in each end of the car when loading.

To this end the invention consists of the constructiom combination and particular an rangement of parts hereinafter illustrated in the drawings and pointed out in the claims.

For full comprehension, however of our invention, reference must be had to the ac companying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical tional view of an apparatus constructed according; to our invention for loading and unloading railway cars a car being shown in position therein in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a plan 'iew thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the bumper mechanism for retaining the car in position upon the tiltablc platform;

Figure l is a fragmentary lon udinal vertical sectional view illustrating one end of the platform and its sub-structure;

1920. Serial No. 385,525.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the apparatus;

igures 6 and 7 are detail sectional views taken at right angles to each other of the differential mechanism forming a part of the means for tilting the platform; and

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of one of the racks for tilting the platform and illustrating its driving pinion in intermeshingrelation with it. i

The supporting structure of our unloader consists of a floor 2, side walls 3, and end walls itlorming the power-plant chamber 5 and bin-space 6. A middle longitudinal pier 7 carries a track 8 on which rests the rocker 9 ot the cradle structure which has a. platform 10 supporting; the car indicated at 12 to be unloaded. The pier 7 is chambered as l3 and communicates with chamber 5 and a bin or hopper 1a in chamber 6 is disposed with its discharge throat 15 over conveyer 16. The ends of the tilting platform are accommodated by depressions in the foundations and have wooden bumpers, 21 set rigidly on the bottoms thereof. Bumper blocks 22 carried by the tiltable platform come into contact with these bumpers when the cradleis tilted to a maximum in either direction.

The cradle is tilted by a pair of arms 25 bearing racks 26 and having their upper ends pivotally connected at 27 to the ends of the cradle with their lower ends extends ing into the space 20. The racks carried by these arms are in intermeshing engagement with pinions 8]. keyed on shafts 32 j ournaled in bearing each of the arms being maintained in intermeshing' relation with its respective pinion by rollers 34 carried in a guide frame the guide frames bein in turn supported on shafts 32 between the bearing 33 and the pinions. and constructed and arranged to adjust themselves to the variable inclination of the arms. Each of the shafts 32- also carries rigidly thereon a comparatively laygge bevel gear 36 and these bevel gears are in intermeshinp; relation with bevel pinions 37 of smaller diameter and respectively carried by a pair of axially aligned shafts 39 and 40 the adjacent ends ofwhich are operatively connected to a motor by a differential mechanism adapted to automatically compensate tor the vary ing velocities at which the arms 25 move and the shafts 39 and -20 rotate.

The differential mechanism We prefer to use consists of a worm 6O operatively connected to the shaft of the motor and in intermeshing relation with a worm wheel 61. This worm wheel consists of toothed ring 62 carried by a housing made up oftwo sections 63 and 6% connected together by bolts 65 and freely rotatable upon the adjacent ends of the shafts 89 and 40. Upon these shafts within the housing are rigidly mounted differential gears 66 and 67 the former being on shaft 39 and the latter on shaft .40. The differential gear 66 is in intermeshing relation with a plurality of differential pinions 68, three sets being shown in the embodiment illustrated, and the differential gear 67 is in intermeshing relation with a corresponding number of differential pinions 69. These pinions are mounted upon transverse stub shafts TO the ends of which re mounted in the sides of worm wheel (51. The differential mechanism is contained within a casing 71.

In the operation of this differential mechanism-upon the worm 60 being set in motion by the motor 50. the worm wheel is adapted to rotate movir' with it the differential pinions, differential gears 66 and 67 and shafts 39 and i0 and the differential gear which is connected to the arm of the pair 25 having the lesser distance to travel of the two, or in other W0 1 the arm which is connected to the downmard portion ot the platform will rotate at a speed slower than that of the other diffe ential gear, the differential pinions compensating for such difference in speed.

In order to keep the platform at each side of the car as clear as possible a door opener which forms a component part of the apparatus operates from a point above the dooropening and may be swung entirely clear of this opening; and baffles acting as chutes for deflecting the lading from the carthough one of its side doors are also adapted to be located clear of the portion of the platform adjacent the door opening when not in use. The mechanism for opening the doors is carried b an upwardly extending lateral aun on the cradle structure constituted by a frame 110 rigidly mounted. thereon and tilted in unison therewith. This door opening mechanism consists of a pair of door displacing arms fulcrumed as at in the frame 110 at a point above the top of toe door opening. The upper portion of-each arm is con stituted by a quadrantal rack 81 in intermeshing relation with an elongated pinion 82 mounted upon the shaft 83 such shaft being operatively connected to a motor 84 supported upon the top of the frame 110. The lower end. of each arm is tapered downwardly and carries a boX-like guiding mem ber 89 the face of which is adapted to bear upon a grain door. The arms are constructed and arranged to be swung in unison upon their points of fulcrum and are adapted to for-cc the door inwardly relatively to the car thus freeing the nails. This movement is continued until the door is moved to position within the car adjacent the roof thereof and clear of the lading.

The baffles which are adapted to be inserted obliquely through the door opening and act chutes for deflecting the lading being discharged and the mechanism for actuating them are located at one side of the cradle structure and on opposite sides of the door opening. The baffles are indicated at 90 and 91 respectively and with their actuating mechanism are alike in all respects and are movable on guideways on the frame from position outside the car as illustrated in Figure 1 to position within the'car as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2. The means for inserting each of the baffles into the car and withdrawing the same therefrom consists of a drum mounted on a vertical shaft li t, a motor 1M operatively connected to the upper end of said shaft and adapted to drive the same and rope or chain 14-1 wound around the drum and having its op posite end respectively connected to opposite ends of the baffle plate.

The cradle structure consists of theplatform 10 and the roclrer 9, the latter resting with its cum ed surface upon its bed or rail 8. This cradle structure which is tiltable longitudinally adapted to be lockedv in horizontal position by pins 171 and 172 located at the opposite ends thereof, the pins being supported in bearings upon the underside of the platform adjacent each end thereof and such pins being adapted to be moved into sockets 174- in the end walls The pins are constructe and arranged to be actuated by a motor 175 located in the vicinity of the rocker El and operativcly co ected to the pins through shafts 176 and a .in of gears 17?, the rotation of the motor causing the pins to be fed axially relatively to the sockets.

The car to be tilt d is adapted to be clamped in rigid pos ion upon the platform by bumper mechanism. This bumper mechai. 'n consists of a pair of bumpers 1.90 and 191 located at opposite ends of the platform and adapted to actuated by a motor 192 loc d above the motor .175. Each. lnimpcr bumper arm and a supportconsists of a ing: arm 1.9i-tpivotally connected together at 195. The opposite end of the 31111 19. 3 fulcrunied on a shaft 196 in frames at the sides of the platform while the lower end of the arm .94: is fulcrumed as at 197 in a crosshead slidably mounted in and capable of longitudinal movement relatively. to the platform. This construction and arrangeuient of parts enables the bumper to be collapsed into position below the level till lfill ill) rati es the platform thereby avoiding interference with the movement of the car to and from the platform. The mechanism for moving the carriage longitudinally on the platform for the purposes of collapsing the arms-consists of the motor and longi tudinal shafts 210 and 211, each of these shafts extending between the motor and its respective bumper and having threaded portions which through nuts 212 effect longitudinal movement of each of the (tr ieads 198, Springs 215 encircling rods 216 and constructed and arranged to yieldingly re sist or counterbalance the lowering the bumper arms.

What we claim is as follows:

1. The combination with a tired horizontal supporting means, a tiltable member resting upon said means and tiltable thereon of power means and means including difl'erential. n'iechanisin connecting the power means to the opposite ends of the member for the purpose of tilting the same.

2. The combination with a fixed horizontal supporting means, a tiltable platform including a rocker resting upon said means and adapted to be rocked thereon of power means below the level of the platform and means including differential mechanism cornecting the power means to the opposite ends of the rocker for the purpose of tilting the platform; door opening mechanism carried by the platform and constructed and arranged to present clear space before the door of the car being unloaded.

3. The combination with. a lined h rizon tal supporting mesnis a tiitable platform in cluding a rocker resting upon said means and adapted to be rocked thereon; power means below the level of the platform and means including differential mechanism connecting the power means to the opposite,

ends of the rocker for the purpose of tilting the platform, and a pair of battles carried by the platform and constructed and arranged, when out of service, to assume positions on opposite sides of the door of the car being unloaded and parallel thereto.

The combination with a lined horizontal supporting means, a tiltable platform in cluding rocker resting upon said means and adapted to be rocked thereon of power means below the level of the platform and means including: differential mechanism connectino; the power means to the opposite ends of the rocker for the purpose of tilting the platform, the platform having an upwardly extending lateral arm tiltable therewith and door opening mechanism mounted in said arm at a point above the top of the door of the car being unloaded.

5. The combination with a lined horizontal supporting means a tiltable platform ineluding a rocker resting: upon said means and adapted to be rocked thereon, of power means bel means ii :3: nesting the othe opposite ends oi rocner for the p pose of tilting the pla f the platform having an upwardly extending lateral arm tiltable therewith and dooropening mechanism mounted in said arm at point above the top of the door of the being unloaded, a baiiie 1r ch'anism carri d thereby and-constructed arranged to, when out of service, present a clear space before the door of the car being, unloaded.

6. The combination w th fixed horizontal supporting means, tiltable platform including a rocker resting upon said means and adapted to l e ruched thereon, of power means below the level of theplatform and means including differential mechanism connecting the power means to the opposite ends of the rocker for the purpose of tilting the same, the platform having an upwardly extending lateral arm tiltable therewith and a baffle mechanism carried by said arm and constructed and arranged to, when out of service, present a clear space before the door of the car being unloaded.

T. The combination with a fixed horizontal supporting means, a tiltabloplatform including a rocker resting upon said means and adapted tobe rocked thereon, of power means below the level of the platform and means including differential mechanism connecting the power means to the opposite ends of the roclrer for the purpose of tilting the platform; door opening mechanism carried by the platform and constructed and arranged to present a clear space before the door of the car being unloaded, a bafiie mechanism carriedby said platform and constructed and rranged to, when out of service, present clear space before the door of the car being unloaded.

8. The combination with a fixed horizon tal supporting means, a member adapted to beroclted upon said means, of means for rocking the same consisting of means con nected at one end to the rocker member at opposite sides of the middle thereof, mechanism adapted to move the last mentioned means longitudinally in opposite directions,

mechanism and means including difierential gear operatively connecting the lower mechanism to the salt mechanism for J means.

9. Tie combination with a member adapted to be rocked, of means for rocking the same consisting; of a pair of racks connected to the rocker mem er at opposite sides of the middle thoreor,

fixed means for guiding said racks, pinions intermeshing with the racks and adapted to move the racks longitudinally in opposite directions, power mechanism and means including dilferential gear operat ,ely connecting the power mechenism to the pinions, said pinions being supported in fixed position.

10. In an apparatus of the type described the combination with a fixed flat body and s cradle for supporting at car and resting upon and adapted to he rocked with roiling action upon the said fist bed, the eombinatien with it member adapted to be rocked, tiitebie member supported upon said rocker member, of means for rocking said rocker member consisting of e pair of racks connected at "their'npper ends to the rocker member at opposite sides of the middle thereof, fixed ineens for guiding; said racks, pinions intermeshing with the racks and adapted to move the racks iongitndinsiiy in opposite directions. power mechanism. and means including differential gear opers-tiveiy connecting the power mechanism to the pinions, said pinions being supported in fixed position.

ebie in unison therewith, door opening mechanism mounted in said tremeopposite the door of the car, and beities mounted in said frame and located on oppositesides of the door opening mechan sms and adapted to be inserted into the car through its door openlng.

T1." an- .i in testimony Whei eoi 8 have signed om names to this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

HERB Y ti. VAUG-i-Lekh. EDi VAHD C'ORNi-JJUS GAINES.

Witnesses: I

i'VILLIAM J. C. Hews-Term, JENNY L. WEBER. 

